Colle McVoy Names Obele Brown-West as President

“A rare being, Obele is a born connector,” says Colle McVoy CEO Jessica Henrichs about the 20+ year industry vet who’s assumed the role of president at the agency. “Her foresight for opportunity and command of end-to-end marketing is unrivalled - the partnerships she’s brokered, revenue and operating model evolutions she’s architected and how she’s championed brand authenticity are case studies for cutting through chaos.”

Obele has supervised integrated communications, media and technology teams. Her expertise spans retail, commerce, CPG, travel, automotive, entertainment, agribusiness, education, healthcare and pet care categories. 

A sampling of brands she’s stewarded include Chips Ahoy!, Mars Inc. ALDI, MilkPEP, Headspace, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Sanofi, Cars.com, PacSun, TracFone Wireless, Dove Chocolate, United Airlines, the NFL, Unilever, Etsy and Mattel brands.

“At this point in my career, workplace culture is at the top of my decisioning chart. What Colle McVoy is doing for clients is exceptional, but the team orientation and culture powering the creative agency’s success is what resonated with me,” says Obele on her decision to join the agency. 

According to Great Places To Work research surveying 80% of Colle McVoy’s workforce:

• 90% of employees feel the agency prioritises creativity and 85% believe sustainability is an agency priority.
• 98% of respondents find people are treated fairly regardless of their sexual orientation, 95% treated fairly regardless of their gender and 94% treated fairly regardless of their race.
• 93% believe management is competent at running the business.

“The whole interview process was very different,” adds Obele. “I was never being sold. Instead, it was free-flowing conversations about the love and shared respect people have collaborating, pride in the award-winning work and real talk about the challenges that come with rapid growth. Getting to connect with people who’ve been at Colle McVoy less than a year all the way to a person celebrating their 25th anniversary spoke volumes.” 

Obele has led growth agendas throughout her career:

• Leading AI-powered Tracer to the forefront of data intelligence conversations as president while finalising an $18.1 million Series A raise, significantly increasing client profits while reducing operating expenses.
• Building strategic partnerships with the likes of Google, Amazon and Meta at Tinuiti - a performance marketing accelerator - becoming the first independent agency to team up with TikTok and Reddit. As chief solutions officer, managing over $3 billion in media spend, Tinuiti was also the first independent agency named Microsoft’s Global Agency of the Year. The Solutions team grew to 800+ employees during her tenure. 
• Driving integrated communication innovation in predictive analytics, integrated media and consumer insights as Weber Shandwick’s North America digital client experience lead. She oversaw specialists in client experience, media, strategy and played a pivotal role in growing collaboration among IPG agencies. 
• Devising bold strategies to help brands connect with consumers in innovative ways, including leading the team that built and monetised The Week Magazine’s website and designing a consumer influence campaign that boosted positivity ahead of a major airline’s rebrand, successfully preventing negative headlines from overshadowing the launch.

Obele will report directly to Jessica, who succeeded long-time CEO Christine Fruechte, on Jan. 1st of this year. 

“When you’re really keyed in to who you are, you never falter and get distracted from what people need from you the most. That’s why I’m eager to get in and listen and get to know the businesses of the brands Colle McVoy serves and the agency at-large,” says Obele of her immediate priorities.

Colle McVoy’s boutique earned creative arm, Exponent, will report into Obele - as will account management and media and data science functions.

"There's no limit to where Obele could have taken her talents. She has clients who have not been clients for over a decade relying on her counsel,” adds Jessica. The fact that she's chosen Colle McVoy for this leg of her career is a testament to what we're building and the momentum we have. I can't wait to lock arms with her and know her impact will be immediate.”

But Wait, There’s More

Obele’s appointment coincides with the promotions of Gina Gray to chief growth officer and John Doyle to chief strategy officer.

Over the last year, Colle McVoy reports:

• 20% YoY revenue growth. 
• 82% win rate. 
• 41% of clients expanded scopes, contracting work with at least two core practice areas—Creative, Design, Media and PR.
• Hired 65 talent (35% identifying as BIPOC). $1 out of every $3 spent on production is with women and BIPOC-owned businesses and talent.

The agency jumped into 2025 inviting people to shake things up with Frank’s RedHot in a campaign that separates the world’s #1 hot sauce from other condiments for the distinct motion it takes to get out the good stuff (versus ketchup you tap and mayonnaise you squeeze).

More than 220,000 people have signed pledges to ban reclining on airplanes in response to La-Z-Boy’s campaign that launched in mid-November to take advantage of what AAA correctly projected to be record Thanksgiving travel, with 5.8 million people flying domestically. The effort has garnered 2.5 billion earned impressions in the likes of USA Today, Newsweek, Fortune, Travel + Leisure, Travel Noire, The Daily Record, The Latin Times, etc. This includes 120+ unique local broadcast placements airing in 34 of the top 35 regional markets.